Test & Iterate
Usability Test Planning
What I Tested
Set up your preferred language - Allows users to set the language they wish to view and receive.
Use in person translation feature - To test the functionality and user experience of the real-time voice translation feature.
How I Tested
Zoom meetings for real-time interaction and guidance.
Maze platform for remote testing without real-time interaction.
Who I Tested
tested with a group of five individuals who speak fluently only in one language or native language that is not english.
Success Metrics
Ease of Use: How easily can users set and switch language.
Navigation Efficiency: The ease with which users can navigate through the app and find the features they need.
Completion Time - How long it takes participants to complete specific tasks within the app.
Usability test
Overall Feedback
The feedback from users was generally positive, highlighting the app’s intuitive design, ease of use, and the value of its real-time translation features. Suggestions for improvement included making certain features more accessible, and providing options to control translation settings within the app.
Areas for Improvement:
Translation button :
Added Translations button on the call and video call screen, the user may turn on or off the feature during calls when translation is not required
Now the user can turn on/off translation feature
Change Preferred Language:
Added the ability to change your preferred language setting in the profile section for enhanced user customization.
Design
UI Components
The UI design of Preferred uses purple as its primary color to convey creativity, innovation, and sophistication, adding a sense of professionalism throughout the app. By combining purple with white and subtle shades of gray, the app maintains a clean, modern aesthetic that enhances user experience and accessibility while presenting a professional image.
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Antonio Santos
Voice Message
2 min ago
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345-123-6543
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Ideate
Site Map
Based on our research and competitor analysis, the sitemap for Preferred organizes the app's structure to align with user goals and streamline navigation. It serves as a blueprint for development, ensuring efficient and coherent progress. This proactive approach helps identify potential issues early, fostering effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders.
The Opportunities
How might we provide reliable translation features for face-to-face interactions, making in-person communication more effective?
How might we develop features that specifically address the unique challenges of professional communication, such as international meetings and client interactions?
Define
User Personas
Research
Competitive Analysis
How are other team communication apps enhancing usability for real-time global communication?
When researching competitors for Preferred, I focused on how team communication apps deliver real-time global communication. Apps such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom provide robust communication tools through mobile and desktop platforms but differ in user engagement and feature integration.
Beyond dedicated communication apps, there are broader collaboration platforms like Slack that incorporate real-time messaging, file sharing, and various productivity tools.
This research bring potential opportunities of:
Preferred should prioritize user-friendly design and incorporate robust real-time translation features.
Adding more advanced communication and collaboration tools to appeal to both personal and professional users.
Competitors lack robust real-time translation features. This is a key area where Preferred can stand out by offering accurate and seamless text, voice, and video translation.
User Interviews
The Goal
• Understand the specific communication challenges faced by users when interacting with people who speak different languages.
• Observe how users currently handle communication with non-native speakers, including the tools and methods they use.
• Identify the contexts and scenarios in which users are most likely to use the Preferred app (e.g., professional meetings, travel, personal conversations).
• Understand the limitations and shortcomings of current solutions from the user’s perspective.
Some questions I asked
Do you know any other languages besides your native language? If so, which ones?
“Have you ever tried to learn a new language? What was that experience like for you?
Can you tell me about how you currently communicate with people who speak different languages?
What are some of the challenges you face when communicating with someone who speaks a different language?
When choosing a communication tool, what features or aspects are most important to you?
Responses
I’ve tried to learn English, but it’s been very difficult. I feel like I don’t have enough time, and at my age, it feels too challenging to start learning a new language.
I use language learning apps to practice and try to immerse myself in Spanish by listening to music and watching shows in Spanish.
The biggest challenge is pronunciation and vocabulary in Chinese. It’s hard to keep a conversation going because I run out of words or say things incorrectly.
The main challenge is understanding different accents, especially in professional settings. I also feel self-conscious about my own accent.
I mostly use English for communication in college and with friends. Sometimes, I switch to Chinese when talking to other Chinese students.
Affinity Map
Findings
Users often need to communicate with people who do not speak their native language.
Users experience significant challenges due to language barriers, leading to misunderstandings and communication breakdowns.
Some users rely on manual translation tools like Google Translate, but find them slow and cumbersome.
User has a desire to communicate faster with other people.
Takeaway
• Many users rely on tools like Google Translate or bilingual colleagues, which disrupt the natural flow of conversation and are often inefficient, indicating a need for a more integrated solution.
• There is significant interest in using the app for business purposes, such as international meetings, client interactions, and team collaboration, indicating a potential market for professional use.
Research Synthesis
I compiled all user data and insights into an affinity map for Preferred, which helped me identify two primary concerns highlighted by users:
1. Primary: Effective Real-Time Translation - Users emphasized the need for seamless, accurate, and fast real-time translation of text, voice, and video communications to facilitate smooth interactions across different languages.
2. Secondary: In-Person Conversations - Users highlighted the importance of having reliable translation features for in-person conversations, ensuring effective communication in face-to-face interactions.
Communication App breaking down the language Barrier
Role
UX Researcher | UX/UI Designer
Project Length
1 month
Tools
Figma, Zoom, Maze
Platform
Mobile
Project Type
Solo - Concept
Overview
What is Preferred
Preferred is a communication app that provides real-time text, voice, and video translation to break down language barriers. It offers features like synchronized lip movements for video calls, pronunciation assistance, and secure messaging, making global communication seamless and effective. Whether for personal or professional use, Preferred ensures clear and confident conversations across different languages.
What is Inspiration/Problem
The inspiration for Preferred was inspired by my father. My family is first-generation immigrants, and my father, who grew up in a farmer’s village and never had a proper college education, knows very little English. Now living in America, he has a hard time communicating with his American workers due to the language barrier. Most of the communication happens through text or online messaging, and I see this app as a way to boost productivity by real-time translating the messages to a preferred language.
Problem Space:
•Language Barriers: Traditional translation methods can be slow and cumbersome, interrupting the natural flow of conversation.
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